AR: Bronze statue valued between £2000 and £3000
WARNING: This article contains spoilers from Antiques Roadshow.
An Antiques Roadshow guest was left "astounded" after discovering the "true" value of her sculpture but insisted it wouldn't be sold during her "lifetime."
Expert Cristian Beadman was present at the Pitzhanger Manor and Gallery in London for filming of the popular BBC daytime show.
Among the attendees was a pensioner and her daughter who brought along a unique bronze sculpture.
Beadman remarked: "Well, what a charming bronze! Evocative of summer beach holidays and good weather.
"It's a classic Neapolitan subject. It's called Pescatorello which is obviously a young fisher boy. How long have you had it for?"
The owner revealed that she had owned the piece since 1976 when her husband was posted to Naples as headmaster of the British School and also looked after RAF personnel.
She added: "We became very friendly with the Italian men who provided coaches for the children to be brought to the school. We had it as a gift, my husband, my daughter, and myself."
Beadman noted: "It's interesting that it was given to the family in Naples while your husband was there.
"It's inscribed for the sculptor Giovanni Varlese, as you know, and he was born in 1888. He lived until 1922. He died very young, at the age of 34.
"And he's an interesting character because he started off making very large bronze reproductions of classical models.
"All of that formal classicism was swept away, and he started to do these much more lively, fun, sweet pieces of sculpture."
He observed that the artwork mirrored the shifting eras, with the sculptor's method becoming increasingly "loose".
Beadman further speculated: "The other thing is that I think this might be a slightly later addition.
"I believe this is possibly a posthumous cast from after Varlese's death. I would place it nearer the middle of the 20th Century."
When appraising the sculpture, Beadman highlighted its size as a significant factor, saying: "In its favour is that it's a very large bronze, and size matters in valuation terms."
He estimated that at auction, the piece could command a price between £2,000 to £3,000.
The revelation left the owner and her daughter surprised, with the pensioner's jaw dropping before exclaiming: "Wow! Really?", before taking a pause to add: "He won't go in my lifetime."
Later, the owner expressed her astonishment, stating: "I'm astounded. I had no idea whatsoever."
Her daughter echoed the sentiment, admitting: "I honestly thought it was worth a couple of hundred, and I didn't expect it to have a couple more noughts on it. To be honest, I really didn't."
Antiques Roadshow is available to watch on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.
